If paradox is perplexing and conceit is confusing, then allusion is probably one of the most annoying literary devices out there.
Category: Literary devices
How to understand any speech: your guide to ethos, pathos & logos
In this post, let’s take a break from poetry and literature to look at something slightly different – rhetoric and persuasion.
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How to write an awesome analysis on sound in poetry: your guide to alliteration, assonance, consonance
Of all the areas in literary analysis, writing about sound is probably one of the most challenging.
Most people can’t tell these 4 literary devices apart: your guide to paradox, oxymoron, antithesis & contrast
Following my post on comparative devices (simile, metaphor, analogy and conceit), some readers have asked me to write a post on contrasting devices.
Your ultimate guide to simile, metaphor, analogy & conceit
One of the first literary devices most English students learn is ‘simile’, which is derived from the Latin word ‘similis’, meaning ‘like’.
How to write about rhythm in poetry
Like repetition, rhythm is another one of those seemingly innocent literary devices: simple in concept, but surprisingly challenging to analyse.
Is repetition too ‘easy’ to write about? You’ll be surprised…
For any English student, the ability to spot figurative devices and explain to what effect they are used is an important skill.
What does irony really mean?
The English dictionary is a wonderful invention, but there are times when it falls short of doing its job: making us understand what a word actually means.
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Metonymy vs synecdoche: what’s the difference?
I have a confession to make: as a self-professed lit expert, I find the difference between metonymy and synecdoche a hard one to remember.
The Hyperbolit School 